Asus Unveils Host of Gadgets

Taiwanese manufacturer Asus showcased a host of new gadgets like tablets, hybrid computers and media streaming device, just a day ahead of Computex 2013.

Taiwanese manufacturer Asus today showcased a host of new gadgets like tablets, hybrid computers and media streaming device, just a day ahead of Computex 2013. One of the devices unveiled at the event include a tablet that can be converted into a laptop as well as a desktop. Apart from these, the manufacturer of Nexus 7 tablet unveiled Transformer Pad Infinity, MemoPad HD 7, MemoPad FHD 10 and FonePad FHD6, Apple Mac Mini rival VivoPC and an overhauled pointing device named VivoMouse.

The company announced Transformer Book Trio, a device that can work as a desktop, laptop as well as a tablet. This device can boot Windows 8 as well as Android operating systems and has 11.6-inch detachable display. The PC Station dock has a 4th generation Intel i7 processor, keyboard and 750GB hard drive. It also serves as a charger for the tablet for extended battery life. In tablet mode, the device boasts of a 2GHz Intel Atom processor and a 16:9 aspect ratio IPS display with full HD resolution and up to 64GB storage.

The all-new Transformer Pad Infinity is among the first gadgets to boast of the 1.9GHz Tegra 4 processor. Like other models in the Transformer family, this tablet comes with a keyboard dock and can be converted into a laptop when required. It has a 10.1-inch IPS display with 2560x1600p resolution and packs 2GB RAM under the hood. It has a 5MP unit on the back, while a 1.2MP camera is placed in the front. This device has 32GB internal storage and has connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, USB 3.0 and microSD card slot.

FonePad Note FHD 6 is a smartphone that even dwarfs the Samsung Galaxy Note II with its 6-inch screen. It has a Super IPS+ display that supports full HD resolution (1920x1080p) and has 367ppi pixel density. The phone runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system and is powered by 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom processor, coupled with 2GB RAM. This phablet features frontal speakers, supports stylus and comes with exclusive Asus apps. On the back is an 8MP camera, whereas a 1.2MP unit is strapped to the front.

MemoPadHD 7 is the successor of the budget tablet with the same name launched last year at the event, this time with a HD-capable screen. The device has a 7-inch IPS display with 1280x800p resolution. It is powered by a quad-core processor based on the ARM Cotex 7 CPU architecture. Weighing 302gram, this device has features like Bluetooth 3.0, 5MP rear and 1.2MP front cameras and 10-point multi-touch. The company has said the 8 and 16GB variants of the device will cost $129 and $149, respectively.

A 10-inch version of the device, named MemoPadFHD 10 was also announced at the event. This device also runs on a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and has a 10-inch IPS display, with 178-degree wide viewing angle and 1920x1200p resolution. It comes in 16 and 32GB storage options and offers 5GB free cloud storage by Asus. The stereo speakers of this tablet feature SonicMaster audio technology. A 1.2MP front-facing camera and a 5MP rear camera with autofocus are present in the device. Offering battery life of 10 hours, this tablet has Wi-Fi and Miracast connectivity.

Asus also unveiled VivoMouse that device offers a combination of traditional desktop input and a wireless handheld remote for casual PC control. It can be used as a standard optical mouse that fits comfortably in the hand, but its top surface also incorporates a large circular touchpad with full support for Windows 8 multi-touch gestures. Asus says that the wide, flat design means VivoMouse can be used interchangeably as a mouse and desktop touchpad, making it suitable for Windows 8 PCs without touchscreens. Due to its wireless PC connection, VivoMouse can also be used for one-handed control away from the desktop.

The Taiwanese manufacturer also took the covers off the VivoPC, a device much like the Apple Mac Mini. Measuring 56mm in height and with footprint smaller than a sheet of A4 paper, VivoPC is a compact media streaming device running on Windows 8. It runs on Wi-Fi networks, features two internal memory slots and can accommodate a 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch SATA6Gbit/s hard drive. The VivoPC features Asus SonicMaster audio technology for improved sound quality with external speakers.

The Asus announcements follow the event by Acer, where the latter launched a new Windows 8 tablet and Android smartphone.